The Hunter's League: Summers Vacation
by CaptainVocke
Summary: After Buffy ran away at the end of Season 2 the scoobies find themselves in a difficult situation. Cordy is forced on vacation with her parents, Willow is shipped to Arizona with her grandparents to rehabilitate from her blow to the head, and Giles goes
1. Scooby, Shaggy, and a Newcomer Too!

Author: Captain Vocke

Disclaimer: Buffy the Vampire Slayer does not belong to me. If it did then the Willow Xander fluke would not of happened and he and Cordy would still have been at least friends. No profit being made here. It's just a series I've been mulling over in my head.

Authors note: Xander has never felt anything romantic towards Willow. He and Cordy are together, Oz and Willow are together. This story takes place during that summer after Angel's death. Everything else that happens is my own creative mind at work.

After Buffy ran away at the end of Season 2 the scoobies find themselves in a difficult situation. Cordy is forced on vacation with her parents, Willow is shipped to Arizona with her grandparents to rehabilitate from her blow to the head, and Giles goes on a fruitless quest to find Buffy leaving the fate of Sunnydale in the hands of a goof and a wolf. To make matters worse a new group of vampires and demons have decided to set up shop. What happens when the remaining scoobies and this new enemy cross paths? Pain.

**Previously on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. . . .**

_Sunnydale High School Library: Willow sits in a pentagram on the main table in the library. Candles surround her on the table. Behind her stands Giles holding a book. As he recites the curse to re-ensoul Angel, Willow repeats. By the entrance of the Library paces the Jamaican slayer Kendra. Meanwhile Cordelia circles Giles and Willow with a smoking plate of herbs. Above them watching as the constant protector is Xander._

_Suddenly the peace of the room is broken as Xander is attacked by a vampire from behind. As he struggles with his foe, another Vampire jumps the railing and rushes Giles. As the fray breaks out, Willow and Cordy shriek in fear and run for the stacks behind Xander. Distracted by the battle breaking out in the Library, Kendra is over taken by two Vamps entering through the front doors. _

_As the battle intensifies Giles is knocked unconscious with an elbow to the face. He falls like a board to the floor. Xander is unaware of anything but battling the vamp in front of him. Suddenly the tables turn on him as the Vamp grabs hold of his arm and snaps it like a twig. The Vamp who knocked out Giles jumps the railing and pushes one of the stacks onto Willow, who gives one last cry before going silent. Cordelia, who now stands in complete shock of her boyfriend being broken like a toy and her friends being beaten, screams again catching the attention of the vamp that knocked over the stacks. He rushes to attack her. Seeing this, Xander pushes the Vamp he's battling into the rushing vamp. Both fall to the ground. "Run!" Xander yells before being knocked unconscious by his recovering vamp._

_Drusilla enters the library and grabs Kendra by the throat. Within seconds she slashes the throat of the young slayer and smiles, "Let's get what we came for boys." The vamps grab Giles by the feet and drag his limp body out of the door._

_Sunnydale General: Willow, now in a hospital bed and a bandage on her head, details everything she needs for the ensouling curse. She tells Oz and Cordy to go back to the library for the book and supplies and asks Xander to tell Buffy what they are doing._

_Sunnydale, the Crawford Street Mansion: Xander emerges from the bushes, "Calvary's here! Willow told me to tell you," he hesitates. "Tell me what?" Buffy asks. Xander sighs, "Kick his ass!"_

_Inside the large abandoned mansion, both Buffy and Angelus battle with large broad swords. Spike can be seen fleeing in the background with and unconscious Drusilla over his shoulder._

_Xander places the broken and battered Giles's arm over his shoulder. The two limp out of the mansion._

_Buffy and Angelus battle in front of the Acathla. Angelus is knocked to his knees. As Buffy is about to deliver the final blow, Angelus's eyes lighten and Angel is returned. As they embrace, the Acathla slowly begins to open. Softly Buffy places a kiss on Angel's mouth and says "I love you". She then asks Angel to close his eyes. As he does this she runs her sword through his chest where he is immediately sucked into Hell._

**Chapter 1: Scooby and Shaggy and a Newcomer Too!**

**Friday May 29, 1998; Woodward Cemetery, Sunnydale, California**

The night air of Sunnydale was particularly brisk for the early summer. Usually in the low nineties to mid eighties, the city built on top of the mouth of hell was facing a low fifties cold front with constant showers. With the ground heated by the closeness of the underworld, the nights became exceptionally foggy. These conditions made for ample cover for the creepy crawlies that hunted the streets of the town. Coupled with fact that none of the baddies had seen or smelt the presences of the slayer, the town had become an endless list of missing people and unexplained deaths.

Luckily for the supernatural and the city government officials, all of the residents had created a self-defense mechanism that consisted of one part fear and three parts denial. This meant that most of the unexplained was written off and accepted as "wild animal attacks" or "gangs on PCP". All of them save for a small band of fighters that had taken it upon themselves to rid the world of the evil that prowled the nights. Unfortunately these unsung heroes now find themselves with smaller numbers these days.

Their leader, Buffy Summers, the only slayer left in Sunnydale had fled to parts unknown after being forced to send her boyfriend to hell in order to save the world. The brains and pre-Wiccan of their group, Willow Rosenberg, was shipped off to her grandparent's house in Arizona to recover from her injuries sustained during the battle in the library a few weeks prior. Her parents, tired of the unexplained injuries and the late nights on the streets, felt it would do her good to spend the summer away from the bad influences of her friends.

The third missing member of their group was not only the most beautiful but also the most stable member. Her name is Cordelia Chase, and she comes from one of the richest and most influential families in Sunnydale. Her presence in the group was important not for her fighting skills, but for her ability keep their group calm no matter what the situation. Her family dead set on breaking up her and her current lower class boyfriend Alexander "Xander" Harris has forced her to join them on a trip to Mexico.

The fourth member missing from this rag tag group outranked them all in age and intelligence. Rupert Giles, the father figure and Buffy's watcher, had begun his own quest to find his missing slayer and surrogate daughter leaving the final members to hold down the fort. Though still injured from the brutal torture he endured from Angelus, he devoted all his energy into his search.

Unfortunately that left two members to do the job of three humans, one slayer, a werewolf, and a watcher. Those members were Alexander "Xander" Harris and Daniel "Oz" Osbourne. Alexander, or Xander as his friends affectionately call him, was the jester of the group. Though not completely useless in a fight, he is most resourceful when cornered or under pressure than having the time to take in the whole situation.

As for Oz, he possessed an ability he couldn't control yet offered him strength in both physical and mental. For Oz was a werewolf, and every full moon he was changed into a beast that could overtake a slayer in pure strength. While his wild side was stripped down to its purest animalistic desires, his human side was the complete opposite. For Oz was reserved and quiet. Rarely speaking more than a few words at a time, he always kept a cool head and stayed in the background. This always allowed him to go unnoticed and make a perfect backup plan.

Though the only two to fight the good fight, they didn't stop. They may not be as successful as they were at full strength; the two friends still managed a few kills a week. This brings us to the current date, May 29, 1998 at the small Woodward cemetery on the far outskirts of town. The dark cemetery was abnormally quiet, even for a resting place for the dead. The only sound that could be heard was the soft crunch of a crouching Xander Harris, dressed in full camouflage complete with combat boots, gun holster, and ammo belt. Clutched in his hand is a small crossbow.

"Good night to go hunting Xander," he says to himself. "Couldn't wait until the clouds cleared could you, no who needs moonlight when fighting nocturnal creatures."

He continues to walk slowly across the gravel looking in every direction. "Of course talking to yourself while hunting probably isn't a good idea either what with the demon enhanced hearing."

A soft snap of a twig echos in the darkness and Xander immediately freezes, his body rigid with fear. He swallows loudly and grips his crossbow tighter. "Why do I suddenly feel like the token hot girl in the horror flick whose about to strip down naked and then be brutally killed."

Grunting in annoyance of his rant Xander whispers, "God I wish Cordy was here to tell me to shut up." Then again she could be the hot girl who strips naked in his horror film.

Shaking his head in part to focus on the task at hand and in part to stop himself from drooling at the idea of naked Cordiness, he begins to move forward again.

Suddenly a dark figure falls from the tree branches above him and lands on their feet in front of him, which causes Xander to fall backwards on his back and fire his crossbow wildly. The bolt misses its target and strikes the tree next to them.

"Great googily-moogily!" Xander yelps as he crawls backwards on his palms away from the offending attacker.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here? One of the slayers scrawny lackies?" the vampire who wears a worn leather jacket asks mockingly. He's in full game face. He turns and looks at the bolt imbedded in the nearby tree. "And you've already shot your wad? What a shame, and we were hoping for a fight tonight."

Out from the shadows step two more vamps, both in full game face. One a particularly tall vamp in a L.A. Lakers jersey and track pants with dyed purple and yellow hair. The other was about Xander's height in a Metallica shirt and faded jeans.

"How much of a fight could it be three on one, huh guys? How about I go home and get some more friends and we make a real brawl out of it huh? You guys can be the sharks and we'll be the Cobras" Xander nervously jokes out. Slowly he reaches for his fallen crossbow behind his back. The vamps slowly step forward.

"Which one of you can sing and get the girl?" Xander asks trying to distract from his reaching for his weapon.

The leather wearing vamp stomps forward towards Xander then leans down and grabs him by his Hawiian Shirt collar. He effortlessly lifts Xander into the air in front of him. He keeps Xander in the air and he growls at him. Xander yelps in shock.

"Do you think we're stupid? Every vamp and demon in a ten mile radius knows the Slayers gone," he smiles wickedly at the awkward teen. "This town belongs to us now. What do you have to say to that funny man?"

Xander tries to adjust his neck so he could look the evil bastard in the eye. "Well first I have to say that in order to own this town you have to go through a lot of red tape and an unusually happy mayor. Then there would be a town meeting in order to vote on such a purchase."

The vampire, angered by Xanders sarcasm, slams the boy against the tree with a loud crack. He continues to pin Xander to the tree by his collar. Xander coughs out in pain. The vamp smiles at this.

"Not a fan of sarcasm I see. I'll remember that," Xander replies. Slowly his hand inches across the tree trunk towards the miss fired bolt. "I do have one thing to say to you though."

The vamps eyebrow goes up in curiosity.

"Yeah, in response to what you said earlier," Xander grunts out.

"Oh yeah? What's that?" the vamp mockingly asks.

Xander leans forward and stares the dark beast in his yellow eyes, "I do think you're stupid."

"What?" the vamp asks just as Xander slams the now free bolt into his adversaries chest. The Vampire roars out as he turns to dust. Immediately Xander falls to his feet. He braces himself against the tree and stares at the other two vampires who look utterly shocked in return.

The Laker garment clad vampire recovers from his shock and charges Xander. The other also recovers but stops at the soft whistling sound echoing in the night. Suddenly an arrow bolt slams into his chest, just above the I in Mettalica. He looks down at the bolt and looks up at nothing, "Son of a bitc. . ." He changes dust mid sentence.

Xander tries to jump into a fighter's stance, but is quickly tackled by the much larger Vampire.

"Crap!" Xander shouts as they both bounce off the tree and land on the ground, with Xander on bottom. The Vampire begins to pummel the weaker teen with all his might. Suddenly another arrow sails through the air and strikes the Vampire in the left shoulder from behind. He screams out in pain and looks in the direction of the attacker revealing the short red head of Oz clutching a small crossbow.

"Uh oh," Oz mutters with a stoic expression.

"A little high Oz man," Xander grunts out as he struggles with the vampire.

The vamp growls and quickly charges the much smaller boy. Oz desperately tries to reload his crossbow before he's hit with a strong left hook. With a crack and a grunt he flies to the ground. The vamp straddles the disabled werewolf.

"Sometimes the best meals can be found in the smallest places," the large vamp grins diabolically. He opens his mouth and his fangs descends. Slowly he inches closer to Oz's jugular and just when all seems lost the vampire screams out in pain then turns to dust revealing a staggering Xander.

"Thanks," Oz says calmly rubbing his jaw.

Xander nods holding tightly on his side, "You did all the work with distracting Shaq. I just point and stab. You good?"

Oz nods. Xander offers his hand to his fallen comrade'. Oz accepts it and together they pull him Oz to his feet. Xander grunts in pain and bends over. Oz raises his eyebrow curiously at him.

"You good? You took a beating," Oz asks.

Xander tries to stand with a smile on his face, blood dripping from a cut over his eye and a busted lip. "I've taken bigger beatings before and bounced back. Just call me the rubber band Xan."

"You know rubber bands break after repeated use," Oz says.

"I'm the jumbo kind. Industrial strength. The ones you can fire across a classroom," Xander grins as he begins to sift through the vampire dust on the ground.

"Number one choice of the Junior High Class Clown," Oz adds as he too begins to sift through the dust.

These past few weeks the boys had discovered a largely kept secret when they dusted a vampire. It came on the fourth night of hunting. Xander had accidently fallen on a vampire, pushing him into a low hanging tree branch which impaled the demon through the heart. After the dust settled Xander had found himself face to face with the ill fated vampires money clip. Originally it was believed that when the vampire dusted, he dusted anything on his body including stakes.

What they now found was that metals such as jewelry, money clips, change, flasks, and brass knuckles rarely ever vaporized. Sometimes even plastics such as wallets, credit cards, and buttons were left over. The greatest discovery though, was that sometimes even paper such as money survived the rapid combustion allowing them to pad their depleted pockets.

"I was hoping my stake survived this time. It was my favorite," Xander says as he sifts another pile.

"I must admit, fighting vampires can be costly on the stake supply. "Wooden, not meat," Oz replies as he stands up dusting off his hands.

"Careful my canine persuaded friend. That could almost be considered a complete sentence," Xander says with a grin.

"I know. I'm off my game. Bad influences I guess," Oz says as he approaches Xander.

"Bingo!" Xander yells.

"What, your stake?" Oz asks.

"Better," Xander stands slowly still grabbing his side. He holds up a money clip with a large wad of hundreds. "Looks to be about eight hundred. How about dinner on the dead guy?"

"Cool, as long as it's not actually on the dead guy," Oz replies.

The two boys gather up their crossbows and slowly limp towards the exit of the bedroom for the dead in a comfortable silence.

"That makes seven," Xander says thoughtfully.

Oz looks at his companion in confusion.

"Seven kills for us this week. It's a record," Xander replies.

"Ah," Oz adds.

"And that was the first time we killed a group. If only the slayer could see us now," Xander says proudly.

Oz looks Xander up and down taking in his friends injuries. "I think she'd be pissed that we're risking our necks."

"Someone's got to. Not like we're doing much," Xander says sadly.

"Better than not doing anything," Oz replies.

Xander stops walking and grips his rips tighter. He breathes deeply while remaining hunched over.

"You sure you're ok? This was by far the worst beating we've taken," Oz notes.

Xander stands up straight and wipes the pain induced sweat from his brow. "I'm good. Just missing Buffy right now."

Oz nods in agreement. Xander tries his best to stand up straight and the two continue their slow trek.

"You can take the night off tomorrow. I'll be unavailable," Oz says breaking the silence.

"Yeah, got a gig?" Xander asks.

"You could say that. It's the montly kind. Same wildness, more biting," Oz replies.

"Oh. Reenacting Where the Wild Things Are?" Xander says sarcastically.

"Yeah. It'll be the first time without Willow watching over me since we started dating," Oz says sadly. "I miss her so much I'm going crazy."

Xander remains quiet, giving his friend a moment to himself. "Yeah well I must be crazy because I miss Cordy."

Oz smiles, "Whipped."

Xander laughs, "Leashed."

They continue to walk next to each other in the night mist towards the exit. Xander pats Oz on the back. "Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

"We weren't friends before?" Oz asks.

As their limping forms slowly disappear into the fog a dark figure steps out from behind a crypt. Unnoticed by the pair the shadowy figure watches them exit.


	2. Lonely Hearts, Broken Ribs, and Wide Eye

_Sorry about the long lapse between updates, but I've rewritten this chapter several times now._

_So I realized that I never wrote about myself or my Buffy passions in my first post. I'm a huge fan fiction fan. It's such a great place to live out how your shows should have gone. Now as for Buffy, the show was fantastic except for one aspect – the depiction of Xander. First the fluke with Willow and Xander mid season three? What the hell was that about? Then him leaving Anya at the altar, why did Joss want to make Xander the constant bad guy?_

_Now if you can't tell by now I'm a huge Xander guy, especially Xander/Cordelia. This is my first Buffy fic so if some of the characters seem off, I'm sorry. This is a learning process for me, but any review you send me will be a great help! I love reviews!_

_This is very AU and very dark, so beware._

_Also, I'm currently looking for a beta reader if anyone out there is interested._

_Without further ado here's part two._

**The Hunters League: Summer's Vacation**

**Starring:**

Sarah Michelle Gellar **as Buffy Summers**

Anthony Stewart Head **as Rupert Giles**

Nicholas Brendan **as Alexander 'Xander' Harris**

Charisma Carpenter **as Cordelia Chase**

Alyson Hannigan **as Willow Rosenberg**

Seth Green **as Daniel 'Oz' Osbourne**

**Co-Starring:**

Dana Davis** as Arua Williams**

T.V. Carpio **as Tina Cho**

Lisa Rinna** as Virginia Chase**

Timothy Olyphant** as Dimitri**

Stephen Tobolowsky **as The Voice**

** Chapter 2: Lonely Hearts, Broken Ribs, and Wide Eyes**

**Saturday, May 30****th****, 1998: Las Palmas Resort, Mexico **

The beaches at the five star resort, where to be expected, had breathe taking views. The waters were the brightest blue one could ever see outside the Tahitian Islands. The skies were clearer than anything offered to the many vacationing socialites from the urban cities. There is no pollution lining the horizons, no acid rain to erode the architecture and no poisons in the water. In fact the weather was so perfect and the scenery so beautiful, it was no wonder that this location brought hordes of perfectly toned beach bodies which were on display twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. Like a canvas of sex and everyone enjoys it.

Everyone that is, except for one stunningly beautiful girl sunning herself on a lounge chair. She gained the attention of every member of the opposite sex like a moth to a flame. Her bronzed skin, her perfect curves and toned muscles made for an enticing concoction of beauty. Men were literally at her feet, begging for the slightest bit of attention thrown their way. It was a socialites' dream come true, yet Cordelia Chase was a brooding mess. She knew she should be happy in paradise with gorgeous views and a nice beach too. She should be enjoying the late night parties, the unrestricted debauchery, the socializing, and the hell mouth free zone.

Yes she should be happy, but deep down she was miserable for one fashionably retarded reason, a guy. Not just any guy, but a guy so outside her social zip code that he would be considered an out of state number, heck international. He was a guy who lacked coordination, an attention span, fashion sense, and common sense. He was someone who did nothing but wear on her very last nerve. Yet she couldn't stop thinking about him.

"Damn that dork!" Cordelia mutters to herself.

"What was that dear?" asks her mother's in a distracted voice.

Virginia Chase was the perfect trophy wife and was proud of it. Whenever she had the chance to flaunt her very expensive body to the young men on their trips she took it. When necessary she would don expensive clothes and shiny jewelry and then attach herself like a medal to Charles Chases', her father, arm. Cordelia wondered if her mom even loved her dad or just the life style he provided for them. She wondered if people thought that about her, if she really came across as shallow as her mom.

Cordelia looks over towards her mother who was lounging next to her. Even behind her sunglasses it was obvious her mother was burning holes in the Speedos on the twenty year old frat boys playing volleyball thirty yards away. Sighing in disgust, she reaches for her drink.

"Nothing mother," Cordelia grumbles as she sips her drink.

Yet she knew it was more than nothing. For her sudden rise in anger was not the symptom of hatred towards the boy in question but feelings. Feelings of what, she wasn't sure. She was sure that these feelings were the reason why she was miserable. Why she wanted more than to be a trophy wife. Why she wanted to go home. These feelings were scaring her to death.

"Cordelia, stop frowning. Do you want to have parentheses on the sides of your mouth?" asks her mother with little interest.

Cordelia rolls her eyes again. Dear god did she sound like that?

"Enjoy yourself. Your father spent a fortune for these views," her mother trails off as one of the frat boys bends down for the ball in front of them. "Such nice views," she adds as she begins to fan herself.

"God mother! First, this didn't cost daddy a cent. His firm is paying for this so he could sweet talk clients. Secondly, I still don't see why I had to come when I wanted to stay home with. . ."

"I swear to god Cordelia Chase if you finish that sentence with Alexander Harris!" Virginia Chase yells looking away from the volleyball game.

She lowers her large sunglasses and stares her daughter in the eye. "The Harris's are trash! No their lower than trash. They're the mold growing on the trash! Their so low in the social rankings that they aspire to be trash! Do you understand how much better you can do than him?"

"I don't care mother!" Cordelia yells back. She didn't want to hear this again.

"Cordelia, find yourself a respectful man. What about that young lawyer you met early in the week when we arrived. He seemed to be infatuated with you." Virginia states bluntly.

"He was infatuated with my breasts and ass mother. Not me! I want to go home," she whines.

"No Cordelia. You father needs us. There's an image we have to maintain as Chases. A status we set. It will take all of us to do this. In fact you father said he needed to speak with you later about something he needs you to take care of. So for now, forget the Harris boy and enjoy the view!" Her mom dictates before turning her view back to the sweaty young men.

Cordelia grumbles again and grabs a nearby newspaper to use as a fan. "Yeah, like I'm going to listen to a cougar about my love life."

As she fans herself with the newspaper she realizes that she recognizes the language. "Hey this is in English," she thinks to herself. A lot of the books and signs here were in Spanish. "Wait this is the Los Angeles Times! That means there's an Entertainment section! Finally something I understand!"

Her excitement fell short though and was replaced with nauseating dread at the sight of the front page headline, _**DEATHS ON THE RISE IN SUNNYDALE, FEDS TO INVESTIGATE**_. "Oh god you loser! Please be safe!" she whispers softly.

**Satuday May 30****th****, 2008 Night: Harris Residence, Sunnydale CA**

The Harris residence was definitely the bane of the neighborhoods existence. The paint was worn and chipped from years of neglect. The front porch was damaged; many of the wooden boards from the floor were missing or broken. The wooden railings that used to wrap around the patio had fallen into disrepair, most of which were barely hanging on. The front door, at one time was an amazing red oak with small carvings of animals, was now worn and warped. It barely closed.

To top off its hideous exterior, was the ugliest piece of the house which many considered to be the largest eyesore of t he property, the front yard. What used to be grass was replaced with patches of dead blades and dirt. A rusted and broken toy wagon rested against the side of the house, not having moved since Xander's father smashed it in a drunken rage when Xander was five. This house was such an eyesore that criminals and even demons stayed away from it. They probably figured it wasn't worth the effort.

This house didn't scare everyone away though.

The limping form of Xander slowly makes its way across the cracked walk way. He continues to grip his ribs, an injury he received from a previous night's battle. He had a fresh bruise on cheek, basically announcing to the world "Guess what! I got my ass kicked tonight!" He stops at the bottom of the steps leading to the front door.

Normally these three tiny steps never represented a problem, except for when his father came home in a drunken stupor. This evening was different however. He just couldn't seem to find the energy

His night was supposed to be uneventful; at least that was the plan.

**Three hours earlier, Intersection of Glenn Oaks and Main Street, Sunnydale CA**

The streets leading towards Sunnydale High School were extremely quiet for a Saturday night. The perpetual darkness created by the cloud cover which blocked the night's full moon gave most of the residents of Sunnydale the skin crawlies. This in turn kept just about everyone at home. This turned out to be a good thing for there were no scoobies patrolling due to one scoobies canine condition on such night. He was currently chained and shackled to his basement pipes to decrease the chance of a rabid induced attack.

Xander, having decided that he wouldn't last more than a few seconds on his own, felt it best to avoid the cemeteries and to head to the high school library to resupply their dwindling munitions. While not actively looking for badies, the proverbial white knight could not keep himself from risking his neck to protect others. Armed with a stake, a hunting knife, and a cross worn around his neck; Xander set out on the long route towards the high school in case anyone was in need of his services.

The route wasn't new to Xander. In fact his junior year had found him on this route almost every day, which resulted in many tardy's. He took this route regularly because it gave him time to think and clear his head. The thinking part usually consisted of everything Cordiness like what she was wearing or wasn't wearing. However, on days after a particularly bad night at home he would use this time to really think about his place on earth. These were dark thoughts, bad thoughts.

Traveling this route at night did not allow him the luxury to think about a lot. Sure his thoughts would linger on missing his girlfriend occasionally, but for the most part he kept his head clear and his senses on alert. Stay alert and you stay alive.

With this in mind, Xander silently proceeds down the sidewalk.

"Ok X-man. You can do this. You've walked this route many times," he whispers nervously as he turns onto Glenn Oaks Ave.

As a boy he always envied this street. Each house was meticulously maintained, perfect green grass, professionally painted, and each house had white picket fences. What he envied most was the happy families. The kids always played with authentic joy, no manufactured smiles to hide the dark secrets of family life. No fears of breaking something and being "punished". No parents yelling, throwing things, or drinking. No worrying about what others might think about him.

Now though, this street was less than ideal. When the Lockheed plant in Burbank shut down, most of the people living here lost their jobs leading to losing their homes. Coupled with a bad economy, this street had become an abandoned abyss of homes, a street no longer traveled.

Quickly passing by abandoned house after abandoned house, he soon finds himself on the front lawn of the high school.

"Could you be any more of a dork Xander? Spending your summer vacation sneaking onto the school campus? Shouldn't you be at the beach with family, visiting family? Oh, that's right. Vacation for my family was a drinking binge in Vegas," Xander says out loud.

Sighing, he silently steps into the dark shadows behind the eighty year old security guard patrolling the halls. "Could this school's "security" be any more laughable," Xander thinks to himself.

It was so predictable that he even had the old man's naps timed to a T. Continuing his quest towards the library, he passes by Principle Snyders office. So many times this past year he's wanted to "accidently" stab the troll in the chest with an extra sharp pencil, but that would be considered murder. He figured it would be legal in the slayer realm though since the smaller man really was a troll.

The idea filled his teenage mind with joy at the enjoyment of killing his principle. Sadly, this joy wouldn't last long as a girls' blood curdling scream filled the halls.

"Help!" echoes a second girls' scream.

"Oh boy," Xander breathes out as he looks in the direction of screams. Quickly he bursts into a full fledge run down the hallway.

Passing a row of lockers he hears the first girls scream again from the far hall. He skids to a halt, his sneakers squeaking loudly, and rushes in the new direction.

At the end of the hall he sees stream of light leaking out from under the door to the gym.

"Of course, never a quiet night on the hell mouth," he thinks to himself.

He stops in front of the gym doors and takes a deep breath. Slowly he reaches out with a shaky hand and begins to prop open the door. Silently he pokes his head into the room, trying to get a handle on the situation.

The gym was large with pine stadium seating against each wall. Windows line the wall areas above each row of seats, which during the day created natural lighting. Of course there were the standard basket ball courts with all the essentials, painted lines on the floor, the school logo painted in the center, and hoops on each side. What wasn't standard however were the three vampires standing over two girls in cheerleader outfits.

"What is it with Vampires and hunting in threes?' he whispers as he watches the vampires stand over the girls.

"Come on girls, give us a cheer," the middle vampire taunts.

"Leave us alone you sons of bitches!" comes the cry from one of the cheerleaders.

Xander's eyes widen at the recognition of the girls' voice. "That sounded like Arua," he thinks to himself.

As he peers in deeper he notices two beautiful girls, both of whom he knew. In fact both girls were Cordettes. The girl on the right was Arua Williams. Arua was the tough as nails Cordette. She was cold, even tempered, and ubber rich. The Williams family was the first African American family to move to Sunnydale with a market value above one hundred million.

The other girl was a Cordette that Xander actually liked, besides his girlfriend. Her name is Tina Cho. Tina was an outcast in this group of bitches. Though short, height wise, around the rest of her friends she easily made up for her diminutive size with her immense energy. She always had a smile on her face and was abnormally nice and cheery to everyone. Her kind nature made her an outcast in her group.

The Cordettes were a force to be reckoned with, not to be loved. The only reason she was in the group was because the Cordettes knew her families social status not only in America, but China as well, something to do with her grandparents and royalty.

Xander liked Tina because she liked him. Tina was never rude or uncaring towards him because of his social class standings. She was nice to him before he started dating Cordelia and never backed down to her friends.

These were Cordelia's friends and he was going to make sure they stayed that way.

"What do you want from us?" Tina begged with tears in her eyes.

Xander looks to his right and spots a basket of metal baseball bats. He silently shuts the doors and slowly pulls a bat free.

"Don't worry lotus flower, we just want your honey," says another Vampire who leers seductively at her.

Tina whimpers and scoots closer to Arua. Arua grabs her friends hand tightly. The look on her face doesn't show her fear, but her eyes can't hide it. As she wipes her eyes free of tears, she spots Xander slowly making his way towards them from behind the vamps with the bat raised. He motions with his free hand for her to stay quiet.

Arua turns her attention back the vampires, glaring at them, "Leave her alone!"

The vamps all laugh loudly, "Baby, whose going to stop us."

Xander stops behind the middle vampire and raises his bat high in the air. With all his might he swings the metal bat and strikes the middle vampire in the back of the head. With a loud crack and a small spray of blood, the middle vampire instantly drops to the ground.

The other vampires turn quickly and growl. Tina looks up in shock. "Xander?' she asks in surprise.

"Run!" Xander yells as he swings his bat again only to have the vampire grab it effortlessly. The two fall to the ground.

Both girls jump to their feet and run towards the doors that Xander entered through.

"What about Xander?" Tina asks in tears.

"Come on Tina!" Arua yells as she grabs her friends' hand. Just as the two of them reach the door, the third vampire slams them shut with one arm.

"Going somewhere my pretties?" he laughs out.

Both girls stop and back up wide eyed as the vampire growls out and stalks towards them. Suddenly the vampire grunts as Xanders' body slams into him. Xander quickly climbs onto of the fallen vampire and removes his stake. Without hesitation he stabs the creature in the chest in front of the scared girls. The vampire screams and turns to dust.

"Oh my god!" Tina screams as she covers her mouth.

Xander turns to the girls and tosses them his stake. He also removes his cross necklace and tosses it to Tina. "Tina put the necklace on. Arua, if something happens to me these guys are going to come after you both. Stab them in the heart with that stake. You can't hesitate and you can't let go. Understand?"

Both girls nod wide eyed in response. From across the gym, the wild growls of the two other vampires echo out. Xander stands up with his back to the girls, "Go! Get out of here!"

"But. . .," Tina begins only to be cut off by Xanders orders, "Go!"

With that, both girls run out of the gym leaving Xander alone with the vampires. Shaking in fear, Xander tries to control his emotions.

"Well isn't that sweet? The dweeb is trying to be all manly for the cheerleaders. Trying to get in their skirts huh? Well this ain't Revenge of the Nerds, O neg! After were done with you we're going after that tail like Kenickie on Rizzo," the main vampire growls out.

"Wow! Nice pop culture reference there. Guess what guys, this isn't Fast Times at Ridgemont High it's the nineties. And tail? Come on could you be anymore seventies?" Xander laughs out still terrified. "God, I'm just as bad! Give me a second to come up with something better."

Both vampires growl out in anger and begin to charge. Xander gulps in fear and steps into something resembling a fighter's stance. Just as the Vampires are about to jump him, the windows suddenly explode inwards. The concussion knocks Xander and the vampires to the floor with loud thuds. Glass rains down on them.

"Holy frag grenades Batman," Xander yells out as he covers his head.

Just as quickly; a large, dark dressed, figure jumps through the now open windows. He lands on his black steel toed boots with ease in the middle of the group. Xander, still lying on the floor, peers out from under his arms to look at this new member. The figure is wearing a dark trench coat, black pants, a black fedora, and a shot gun strapped to his back.

Both Vampires quickly jump to their feet and growl. Xander pushes himself into a push up position just as the dark figure approaches him. Before Xander could speak however, the dark clad figure swings his foot and strikes Xander in the side of face. The impact literally flips the lone Scooby onto his back and into unconsciousness.

**One Hour later, Arua's BMW 3-Series, Sunnydale CA**

Slowly opening his eyes, Xander realized he was no longer on the hard gym floor. Now his face was resting on something smooth, like silk. It was warm and soft. Opening his eyes wider he is surprised to see he was in the back of a car. To his greater surprise his head was resting in the lap of Tina Cho and she was stroking his head. Opening his eyes even wider he noticed she was looking down at him with a small smile.

"Hi there, our knight in shining armor," Tina says happily.

Groaning in pain he tries to sit up, only to have Tina push his head back down. "Don't try to sit up. You might hurt yourself," she says.

"I swear to god Harris, if you bleed on my daddies BMW. I'll feed you to my dogs!" comes Arua's cold voice from the driver seat.

"Arua, be nice. He just saved our lives from the creepos," Tina reprimands.

"This is me being nice! I could've said ground him up with my mom's plant food," Arua argues.

Xander groans in pain again, but not from the physical pain. "Feeding to the dogs is a more honorable death," he says sarcastically.

"See, even dweebo agrees with me," Arua says proudly.

Tina rolls her eyes and looks back down at him. "Are you ok?"

Xander sighs and closes his eyes, "I've been better, but I've also been worse. So I guess ok would be a suitable answer. If I knew what suitable meant at least. What happened?"

"That's what we want to know. As we were running there was a loud explosion. Tina decided in that moment to be brave and rush back to you," Arua says annoyed.

"By the time we got to the gym we heard Synder yelling from his office. We thought it best to get you out of there," Tina says with a smile.

"Always best to get out of dodger when the Sherriff Snyder is in town," Xander say's rubbing his jaw.

Tina smiles and shakes her head. Xander grins awkwardly, "Listen Tina, as much as I'm enjoying lying on your bare thighs, because I really do. However, I think Cordy might castrate me if I lay here much longer."

Tina smiles again and removes her hand from the side of his face. "Well I guess we can't have that can we?" She smiles at him again and winks.

Xander swallows loudly and sits up slowly, "Great. I get a girlfriend and now all the chicks think I'm hot," he thinks to himself and looks at Tina whose smiling at him seductively. "Scratch that, the hot chicks think I'm hot."

"Ew gross Tina! Make me yack! Don't go pilfering other girls men, or in this case nerd," Arua yells out.

"I wasn't Arua! It's just, he saved our lives. Risked his own life. It's really hot," Tina says suggestively.

Xander shakes his head, "Ok, I must be dreaming. I'm only attractive to hot girls in my dreams."

"Or my nightmares," Arua snarks back.

Xander sighs and rubs his eyes. "Right, back to reality. Thanks Arua."

"I'm always glad to be a bucket of cold reality for ya," Arua says proudly.

Xander laughs and rubs his jaw again, "Man, that guy sure can kick. Did you happen to get a look at the black crusader?"

Both girls look at him confused. "You know, the guy in the black trench coat. Looked like he stepped out of an alley from the 1940's?"

"Xander, when we got back to the gym all we saw was a lot of broken glass and an unconscious you," Tina answers with concern.

With that silence fills the car with Xander rubbing the side of his face. "Great, now I have to watch out for Matrix man too," he thinks to himself." Xander continues to rub his jaw and looks at both girls, "Why were you girls at the school on a Saturday night?"

Tina reaches down by her feet and removes a professional looking letter from her back pack. "We got these letters in the mail about college scouts wanting our team to perform. When we got there it was only the two of us and them."

"Great, now the Vampires are going high tech on us," Xander thinks to himself.

"So, Xander. Who were those guys? What was with their face?" Tina asks breaking him from his thoughts.

Xander immediately stops moving and nervously smiles, "Well you know, PCP makes people weird and. . ."

Suddenly the car screeches to a stop, causing Xanders face to slam into the headrest in front of him. "Ow! Headrest to the face," he shouts as he covers his nose.

Arua turns in her seat with fire in her eyes, "Bull shit Harris! We're popular, not stupid! That's Harmony and the rest of her sheep! We both know weird things happen in this town. We've seen the death rate at our school!" She reaches over and grabs Xander by the shirt collar.

"Hey, what's with people and grabbing the collar?" Xander asks in surprise.

"Cut the crap Harris! What's the skinny?" Arua demands.

Xander shakes off Arua's grip, "Fine, but you aren't going to believe it."

With that he began to divulge into everything that had happened over the past two years. To his surprise, the girls weren't surprised by his explanation of the hell mouth or the vampires. Hell they seemed relieved to finally have answers to all the unexplained. By the time he had finished his explanation, they were in front of his house and he was exhausted.

All three were now sitting in silence. Xander looked both girls over. They seemed to be digesting everything calmly. However, they hadn't said anything in nearly an hour.

"Are you girls going to be ok?" Xander asks with honest concern.

Neither answers, but both nod. "I know it's a lot to take in, but if you ever need me to answer any questions or just need someone to walk you home at night just give me a call."

Tina smiles a small smile and nods.

"Yeah right Harris, I'd rather be attacked by a vampire than be seen walking with you," Arua says with an almost smile on her face.

"Yep, you're going to be fine. Just carry a cross with you everywhere and stay aware of your surroundings and you just might make it to graduation," Xander adds before grabbing the door handle.

As he exits the BMW, so does Arua and Tina. He turns and looks at them with a questioning look. Suddenly Tina rushes around the car and hugs him tightly. "Thank you for saving my life," she says softly.

Shocked by someone actually thanking him, he awkwardly returns the hug. Tina slowly releases and climbs back into the car. Xander then turns and faces Arua who seemed to be having a hard time with something.

"Yeah. . .so. . .thanks you know. . .for earlier," Arua says awkwardly. Xander smiles and then nods, "No problem Arua. Besides, Cordy would have killed me if I let the only two people she actually liked from her fellow VISA card holder's die."

Arua laughs and playfully punches Xander in the arm, "Always fear the wrath of Queen C. See yeah around Harris."

With that she climbs back into her car and speeds off into the night.

**Current Time Period, Satuday May 30****th****, 2008: Harris Residence, Sunnydale CA**

So now here he was, standing in front of the Harris household, still in shock after the night's events and wondering if Giles and Buffy were going to kill him for initiating more people into the Scooby club. Yet, he still felt that it was worth it. He never thought it was right that people didn't know about the evil that lurked in the streets and he was really happy that he could save the lives of two of his fellow classmates.

"Well, all in all the night hadn't been that bad. Except for the Batman impersonator that knocked me out and took out the vamps," he says out loud.

Slowly he limps up the stairs and opens the front door with a loud creek. He steps in and closes the door. As he walked towards the basement he began to think about the man and the battle in the gym. Many questions circled his cloudy mind, like Who was this dark defender? Why did he take me out?

From upstairs he can hear his father and mother yelling, again. From the sound of it, his dad lost his job, again. "Good ol' Anthony Harris, professional drinker and pink slip earner," he laughs to himself.

Finally he limps into his underground bedroom and crashes onto his old lumpy mattress. No matter how uncomfortable the bed was, it still felt better than putting strain on his damaged muscles. Just as he closes his eyes, the phone next to his bed suddenly rings out. He quickly grabs it off the receiver with his casted arm and winces in pain. At the same time he was wincing with the fear that his dad would hear the phone and storm down to his room.

"Hello," he asks tiredly.

"_Where the hell have you been you dweebo!" shouts a pissed off Cordelia._

A small smile crosses his face and the sound of her shout, "Cordy?"

"_Of course it's me! I've only been trying to call you all day! You better not have been out with another girl, I swear to god I will rip off you balls and put them in a blender," she shouts again._

Cringing at the idea of his cajones being pureed he still had to answer, "Wow Cordy, jealousy? That's a new color on you about me."

"_You wish Harris! Try not to let that little ego get the best of you!" shouts Cordelia._

"So what do I owe this verbal abuse too?" ask's Xander with a yawn.

"_Look, whatever. I just was reading the newspaper and don't even start with me about reading! Anyway it said that the death toll was on the rise and I just had a feeling that you would be out there trying to play hero," Cordelia rambles annoyed._

"Aww Cordy, were you worried about me?" Xander says playfully.

"_Oh course I am you loser! Who do you think I am, my mother?" Cordelia says in anger_.

"Never my queen. You are a different breed of Chase. A better version of the original mold. You are right though about playing hero," he says with honesty.

With that he quickly went on to explain about the weeks events. He started with his and Oz's patrolling to finding Arua and Tina and the vamps to being knocked unconscious and explaining to the two girls about everything. When he was finished he thought he'd be cut down by her shouts, but again he was surprised to hear, _"Xander, are you ok?"_

Taking a second to take in a nice side to his girlfriend he slowly answers, "Of course babe! It takes more than an oversized Goth to take me down."

"_You better be careful you dweebo! You've got me feeling all these feelings! I swear I don't know what you did to me or if your love spell you cast on Valentine's Day had a late reaction time to it. Maybe you're a yucky love demon or something. . ."_

"Cordy," Xander tries to interrupt her tirade.

"_I'm Cordelia Chase, I don't have feelings. You're ruining my summer vacation because I can't help thinking about you and your safety. . ."_

"Cordy," Xander tries again.

"_And if you think I'm going to be hanging out with you and your loser friends than I think you've taken to many hits to the head. . ."_

"CORDY!" Xander yells.

"_What!" Cordy yells back_.

"I miss you too," he says softly.

Though silence filled the other side, he could almost see her mega watt smile which in turn made him smile.

"_Really?" Codry asks softly._

"Of course. How could I not miss you? I need my sparring partner back," he says playfully.

"_Good. Because I'm coming back in three days. From the sounds of it you need all the help you can get. Stay alive until then," she adds plainly_.

"What?" he asks in shock.

"_Yep. See you soon dork head. Have a good night," she says with a laugh and hangs up leaving Xander staring at the phone. He replaces the receiver and looks up at the ceiling. _

"What a weird night," he says with a smile.

**Satuday May 30****th****, 2008: Unknown location, Sunnydale CA**

Across town in an unknown location a black town car pulls up in front of a large mansion. The driver side door opens and an extremely well dressed man steps out of the vehicle. He is extremely handsome and stands with confidence. He steps forward and approaches two suited guards at the front door. They nod and step aside so he can enter the building.

The interior of the mansion is straight out of the god father. Art deco style with dark crimson curtains and chair covers. The lights are dim and lit with candles. The well dressed man walks down a hallway towards a large office room.

He steps into the office and stands at attention. The office is similar to the rest of the house except for the oak desk and marble fire place. On the other side of the desk is a large plush arm chair with its back facing the man.

"Is it done?" echoes a voice from behind the chair.

The well dress man continues to stand at attention, "No sir. They failed to acquire the targets."

"This displeases me Dimitri," the voice says with a calm tone.

"Apparently our dark pain in the ass has followed us to Sunnydale. He took out our men," the well dressed man we now know as Dimitri answers.

Suddenly a hand clutching a cigar comes into view and slowly rests on the arm rest. "Then our plans must change. Take care of him."

Dimitri nods, "There was someone else there. A boy. He took out one of the men before they could acquire the targets. What should we do about him?"

The arm rises again behind the chair and then returns to the arm rest as a puff of smoke dances into the air, "Keep an eye on him. If he continues to get in the way, then we take action. For now we assume he was just someone at the wrong place at the wrong time."

"Yes sir," Dimitri nods again and steps silently out of the room.

The door slowly closes as the arm begins to knock ash from the cigar into a nearby ash tray. The hand releases the cigar into the ash tray and then rests onto the armrest again.

"Let the games begin," the voice says calmly again.


	3. A Lot Can Happen In Twenty Four Hours

So it only took me TWO YEARS, but I'm back. I have no excuse except that life got in the way. Just know I haven't forgotten about this little whatever it is and all I can say is thank you so much for everyone who has stuck around, read this story, added or followed and commented. You guys are awesome. I hope this was worth the wait. The next chapter is just around the corner. Many of you might not believe this, but I do still know where I'm going with this and in my mind it's quite the interesting adventure.

Forewarning, I'm not great at writing for Willow so if her story seems dull it's because I just can't write for her.

**The Hunters League: Summer's Vacation**

**Starring This Chapter:**

Sarah Michelle Gellar **as Buffy Summers**

Anthony Stewart Head **as Rupert Giles**

Nicholas Brendan **as Alexander 'Xander' Harris**

Charisma Carpenter **as Cordelia Chase**

Alyson Hannigan **as Willow Rosenberg**

Seth Green **as Daniel 'Oz' Osbourne**

**Co-Starring:**

Richard Anconina** as Charles Chase**

Lisa Rinna** as Virginia Chase**

**Also Starring:**

Michael Paul Chan **as Mr. Lee**, Taylor Willy** as Jamaica J**

**Chapter 3: A Lot Can Happen In Twenty Four Hours**

**Saturday, May 30th****, 1998: Santa Monica, California**

As the sun slowly slipped behind the horizon, a beautiful orange and purple haze had begun to fill the clouds in the evening sky. The sunset had created a picturesque moment for all those relaxing and enjoying the world famous pier during a time when the weather had been particularly damp. The weather channel had called it the largest storm in California's history, but for one day the clouds had parted and the sun had shown driving many Los Angeles's residents from their homes and to the beaches for some much needed sun. Now though, the day was drawing to a close and the city dwellers were enjoying what little moisture free time they had left. All of them save for one tiny blonde girl who had spent the entire day sitting on a bench at the end of the pier staring blankly into the ocean. A girl whose eye's showed the pain she suffered, the girl known as Buffy Summers.

The usually smart mouthed and confident slayer was unnaturally quiet and introverted. One could probably say it was a side effect of having to run your honey through the chest with a long sword and then sending him to hell to be tortured for all eternity. There wasn't a second in the day where she wasn't forced to replay every moment of that fateful night. Where she saw the look of love mixed with confusion in his eyes seconds before she plunged the sword through his chest. In an instant his eyes changed to that of pain as he desperately tried to hold on to her for one more second before he was stripped from her arms and sucked into hell.

In fact she took solace in this memory because at least than she knew she was suffering her own hell.

"Buffy," comes a whispered yet familiar voice. A voice that brought her comfort, brought her peace, and brought her love.

Slowly a small smile crosses her face as the owner of the voice sits next to her on the bench. His large frame causes the wooden bench to creak softly while his black duster flutters in the salty beach breeze. Slowly he drapes his large muscular arm around her shoulder as his equally large hand cups her left cheek. Instinctively, she rubs her face against his soft skin and sighs contently.

"How'd you find me here?" she asks slowly turning her face towards him.

"If I were blind, I would see you," he replies with a smirk.

Slowly she moves her hand up to his and interlocks their fingers, "Stay with me, Angel."

"Forever," he replies as he leans his head down next to hers. "That's the whole point, I'll never leave," he replies softly. Buffy smiles and closes her eyes. She snuggles deeper into his body as he moves his mouth next to her ear, a wicked smile crossing his face and softly whispers, "Not even if you kill me."

Quickly her eye's snap open, "What?"

"I didn't say anything, senora," answers a much older voice with a thick Hispanic accent.

Buffy quickly turns her head only to see that Angel was gone. Instead there was an older Hispanic man kneeling next to a small boy standing by the railing. Both were looking at her while clutching fishing poles and a tackle box.

"You shouldn't be out here by yourself senora. Weathers changing," the older man says as he closes his tackle box and stands. He hands the box to the small boy, who was still staring at her.

Buffy smiles a sad smile at the boy, who in turn looks away. She couldn't blame him; she didn't want to look at herself either.

The man grabs the fishing poles from the boy and places his hand on the boys back. Slowly the duo walks away. It took all her energy not to burst out in tears at the sight of the pair as they walked away. It was all she did these days; cry about the friends she left, the love she killed, the job she abandoned, and the life she'd never have. She would never have kids to take fishing, she'd always be alone.

**Sunday, May 31****st****, 1998: Rosenberg Residence, Chandler, Arizona**

Chandler, Arizona; home to thousands of Americans was not exactly what many would consider a vacation oasis. While not the desert town it once was, it was definitely no Palm Springs. Yet, some still found beauty in its red-orange sands that covered the town like paint on a canvas, including a certain red headed high school student from California; Willow Rosenberger.

After the "incident" a few weeks ago which left her in the hospital, both her parents began to freak out. Her mother blamed all the late nights while her father blamed Xander. To her father, "the Harris's were nothing but trouble to Sunnydale." He was never happy about Xander being her friend and loved to blame him anytime he felt his daughter was acting out. So in an act of desperation to save their daughter, they shipped her off to her grandparents in Arizona.

Now it wasn't as if she hated visiting her Nana and Pop-Pop Rosenberg, in fact it was far from it. She always looked forward to her time with them. Pop-Pop would always drive her to the outskirts of the suburban city to the hiking trails where they would spend hours just enjoying natures true beauty. Her grandmother would stay home and prepare them a large albeit kosher dinner, before they would enjoy a dip in the Jacuzzi and watch the night sky. Yes, she had wonderful memories of her visits with them.

The only reason she was against the trip was that it left Oz and Xander to fend for themselves, which wasn't good odds in their Sunnydale world. Plus there were the dreams she was having and the nagging feelings in the depths of her mind. There were no images, no faces, nothing to clarify what was happening. All there was were feelings. Feelings of power, pain, heat, anger, and desire, feelings which she feared was an after taste from dabbling in the black arts.

She knew the risks when she embarked in her trip through black magic land. She knew there was a chance of her mind being tainted with a desire for power. She just hoped she would be strong enough to fight the pull. She was going to rely on her friends strengths around her to keep her on an honest plane. Now though, she was on her own. She couldn't even call anyone thanks to her parents who had explained to her grandparents that she was in no way allowed to talk to her friends, including Oz.

She'd have to fight the temptation on her own. Luckily for her, she brought nothing to tempt her. She left all of Ms. Calendar's Wiccan books at home to protect herself. She even left behind all her floppy discs and rewriteable CD's to ensure that she wouldn't stumble upon her hidden stash of cyber magic. All she could do now was sit cross legged on her bed and stare out at the sunrise sneaking its way over the desert hills. Her Pop-Pop felt it best to keep things light her first week in Arizona since her head wasn't completely healed. Stay inside with air conditioning to keep her healthy and happy.

Slowly she looks around the room, taking it all in. It hadn't changed much since last year. Her Nana made sure to feed any plants she had collected during her visits while also ensuring to dust everything regularly. She did notice that the furniture had changed from a pine to an oak and that her Pop-Pop had finally fixed the small dent in the closet door that she made when she was playing with a rubber ball in the third grade. Otherwise, the room seemed untouched.

However, there was one thing that was amiss in her new sanctuary. A large brown box, which hadn't been there when she went to sleep, was now sitting in front of the door. On its lid was a white note. Curiosity always being a folly of hers, she immediately got up and moved to investigate. Upon reaching the box she quickly tore the note from the top of it. As she read the simple note a feeling dread ran down her spine.

_My sweet granddaughter,_

_ UPS dropped this off yesterday. We would have told you, but you were pretty out of it. You're parents sent it. They said it was some books you were reading in Sunnydale; they thought you'd like to have them with you. Look forward to watching the stars tonight in the Jacuzzi. We've got it marked in our day planner._

_ Love,_

_ Nana_

She didn't know when her hands had begun to shake, but she knew what was causing it. It was a mixture of hunger and fear. She released the letter, which fell silently to the floor, and slowly backed away from the box. She could feel the power emanating from inside. She could almost hear the voice of her desires demanding her to open the box and it terrified her.

Will power was draining out of her like a rusty bucket and she knew it wouldn't be long before she tore into the box. So she did the only thing she could think to do and that was to hide the box. She dashed across the room and grabbed the offending container with both hands. She lifted the box, which was heavier than it looked, and tossed it into her newly repaired closet. Once the temptation was out of sight she pressed her back to the closet door and slid to the floor in exhaustion.

"Oh boy," she whispers.

**Sunday, May 31****st ****1998: Cordelia Chase's Suite Las Palmas Resort, Mexico**

The title of suite was an understatement at the Las Palmas resort. Everything was grand and beautiful when it came to this particular hotel, then again when you schmooze California's richest CEO's and families this type of grandeur was to be expected. Each suite had two sleeping quarters, one master and one regular, and each were decorated in the latest styles to ensure that Las Palmas was the leader of the pack when it came to style.

The suites also came with full amenities; Satellite TV, full bar, full kitchen, two bathrooms which housed whirlpool bathtubs, and twenty four hour a day room service including dry cleaning and driving services. Each room also contained the most extravagant furniture one had ever laid their eyes on. Of course the furniture was made and designed in Italy before being shipped overseas. It's like the motto states on their twenty four hour a day TV channel "Las Palmas stands for Luxury", which ensures happiness for every guest that stays with them, every guest that is except for one.

Yes the room had everything including a breath taking view of the ocean, enabling it's occupant to have the perfect view of the sunrise and sunset every day. For this particular guest however, the room was missing one thing or in this case one person and his name was Xander Harris. Yes for Cordelia Chase, daughter of Charles Chase who was co-partner for one of the largest ad firms Lewis and Lewis, the room only made her lonelier. Underneath her window sat her luggage, packed and ready to leave. On the dresser against the far wall hung a beautiful Stefano Pilati dress with Jimmy Choo heels and Neil Lane jewelry.

Yet instead of joining the festivities around the hotel, she found herself sitting quietly on her bed with her hands in her lap fighting back tears.

"I hate you daddy," she whispers as the first tear rolls down her cheek.

To a passerby it would seem like a spoiled bitch crying about not getting her way, but for anyone who had witnessed the conversation that had occurred just hours ago. . .

**Saturday, May 30th****1998: Cordelia Chase's Suite Las Palmas Resort, Mexico**

The room is softly lit by the dimmer and a fire burned in the fireplace. Cordelia had just hung up the phone with Xander and she couldn't help but smile.

"He's safe and he misses me. He misses me, not just my looks or money, but me!" she yells happily out to herself.

This was the first time in her life that a man actually liked her for her and she had to admit it was thrilling her to the core. Though she would never admit it to anyone, Xander made her want more from life. He made her want to better herself, better the world. She wanted him to be proud of her; she just didn't want anyone to know that he was the reason.

"I do have a reputation after all," she thinks to herself as she gets up off the bed and walks to the window. Slowly she peels back the curtains and smiles at the sight of the full moon reflecting off the pitch black ocean surface.

"I hope Oz is taking the necessary precautions. I don't want to be dating a werewolf too," she mutters to herself. "Though I'd still be with him no matter what he turned into. It's what you do when you lo. . ."

"Princess," booms her father's voice, interrupting her conversation with herself. Wide eyed from her almost admittance to loving Xander and fear that her father may have over heard her confession, she turns slowly to face him. Before her stood her handsome father, with his perfectly pressed Armani suit and slicked back hair. The look on his face however was anything but a loving father. He looked like he was going to try and sell her a used car.

"Hi daddy, mother said you wanted to see me?" Cordelia asks innocently while plastering her patented "daddy's girl" smile.

He takes in his daughter's appearance, noting her beaming smile, "Enjoying your time here this year sweetie?"

Inside Cordelia's mind was screaming at her "Danger Cordy! Danger! Guilt trip is in the horizon!" However, do to her recent elation she dismissed the warnings.

"Well. . ." Cordelia begins before being interrupted by her father.

"Good, now as you know this trip is always important to my firm," he begins.

"Yes daddy. . ." Cordelia answers though she knew he wasn't listening. However, she knew where this was going and it was beginning to make her nervous. It was the same favor and same speech every year since she could remember.

"This may seem like a vacation to you and your mother, well especially your mother. For your daddy however, it's work. Lewis and Lewis expect me to land big clients on these trips and this year is no different. We're trying to land a large law firm, one of the largest in Los Angeles,"

"Yes daddy. . ." Cordelia whispers sadly. "Please don't ask me to do this again," her mind screams.

Charles begins to pace back and forth in front of her while using every form of body language to demonstrate dominance. "Now I know you don't care what it is that I do or who my clients are,"

"Never have. . ."she whispers with a smile.

"Nor do you care how important this firm is to my company," he continues without listening.

"Never will. . ." she whispers again.

"But I need you to help out your daddy just this once," he asks.

"It's always just this once," she thinks to herself. "Please hang out with the clients kids just one more year sweetheart. It will mean a lot to your daddy," she mumbles to herself in expectation. However, this time it wasn't even close.

"I need you to show one of the firm's members a good time," he says bluntly.

Her mouth drops open in horror and shock. "What!" she shouts. If only Xander was here to witness that Cordelia's bluntness was actually hereditary. "Not going to happen daddy! How could you even ask that of your own daughter?" she says coldly.

Immediately Charles stops and snaps his head in shock at his daughter's refusal. Sure she repeatedly ignored him, but to tell him "no" outright knowing he could take it all away from her. That was a new one.

"What do you mean no?" he says with an edge of anger. Cordelia could only glare up at the man that she called her father. How dare he try to whore her out like this.

When she was younger he would ask her to play the role of dutiful daughter and follow him around like a perfect angel. When she grew up and entered junior high he would ask her to play with the other client's kids. When she entered high school he would ask her to play the role of babysitter for the client's children. These requests she could do.

Never had he asked her to show a client "a good time". Never had he made it so suggestive. What did he think of her? What because she had a beautiful face and a body with curves in all the right places that he felt her role in his work should be bumped up from babysitter to call girl.

"No daddy! I won't play whore for you!" she yells in pain.

Suddenly Charles eyes grew in shock, "What? No! It's not like I'm asking you to have sex with the man. I'm not pimping you out to him. I just want you to take him out and impress him. If you have to, get romantic. I don't expect you to sleep with him."

"First. . .eck! Second, I have a boyfriend and I care about him. I won't cheat on him. How dare you!" She shouts in anger.

This time Charles face turned red with anger, "How dare I? How dare you! Your mother and I have seen how you are with the Harris trash. You can whore yourself out to a boy who's got a future in highway maintenance, but you can't help your father ensure he lands a large client? We're Chases for Christ sakes!" He shouts and he paces in front of her. "Do you understand how important this is to me? I'm on the verge of losing my job! If I land this client I keep my job which in turn will make sure you have a place to live after the soon to be alcoholic knocks you up and dumps you."

Cordelia stumbled back from the verbal blow in shock and pain. Her father had never been this venomous, this abusive. It was like he was the demon version of himself. How could her own father say that about her? His words were like a slap in the face. By now she had tears in her eyes.

"I don't care about your stupid job! Don't you dare talk about me being a whore daddy! I don't sleep around! I haven't even slept with Xander! You've got some nerve of accusing me! I know about you and your secretary and your female clients! Ha! You get angry at me because you disapprove of my Xander, yet you turn a blind eye to mother? She sleeps with all the hired help! Hell, she's probably screwing the frat boys from the beach right now! Now get out!" Cordelia yells, releasing years of pent up secrets and anger in one rant. She had to admit it felt good standing up to her father for once instead of following his orders.

"That's because she knows what her role is on these trips! She's being a dutiful wife! Unlike my ungrateful daughter!" he spits back.

Cordelia's eyes shot open at this revelation. She always thought the infidelity was because her parents were in a loveless marriage, she never imagined it was like this. She felt sick to her stomach. Her family was definitely in the "fucked up" category along sides with the Manson's and the Harris's.

All she could do was stare with a slack jawed expression at her father and all her father could do was stare down at her with hate. "Now listen here you little spoiled brat. Tomorrow evening one of the clients will be here to pick you up. His name is Jonathan Mohane. ."

"No daddy!" she yells out.

He continues on without listening to her. "I will buy you a new outfit. He'll be expecting you to be ready so don't keep him waiting."

"No daddy! I won't cheat on Xander!" she yells.

Charles instantly reaches out and grabs her by her shoulders his breath reeking of alcohol and his eyes were red with anger, "I don't give a fuck about the Harris kid! All I care about is landing this firm! You will show Mr. Mohane a goodtime!"

"I won't cheat on Xander!" she yells again.

"Why not?" Charles yells causing spit to hit her in the face.

By now tears were falling down her cheeks. She had never been so afraid of her father before.

"Because I love him!" she yells out shocking both herself and her father.

"You what?" he asks, his eyes burning with rage. "You love him? You love him! I give you and your mother the perfect life and you love him? You have to be fucking kidding me! I can take this all away!"

"I don't care!' she yells.

Slowly he leans his face down into hers his eyes burning even brighter with hate and anger. She could smell the whisky on his breath and it made her stomach turn at the thought that this is what Xander dealt with every second of every day. This fear was unbearable. He stopped moving when his eyes were level with hers. She was sure he could see the fear and panic in her own eyes. That he could feel her trembling with fear. Suddenly a smile crossed his lips. A smile that sent shivers down her spine.

"I could take him away from you," he says unemotionally causing her eyes to widen.

"What," she whispers.

"That's right. Money is very powerful and his families reputation speaks for itself. I could make him disappear from your life," he continues coldly.

"No daddy," she sobs.

"I can pay off the sheriff, have him arrested. Pay off the judge and have him sent to prison. I can pay off the guards, the inmates, anyone and make his life a living hell," he says with a large smile.

"Daddy please, no," she pleads more.

"That's right, beg! Beg to save your piece of shit boyfriend. If you don't do what I ask of you, your life style and your boyfriend are gone. Just like that," he says with a snap of his fingers releasing her from his grip.

Immediately Cordelia crumples to the floor as the sobs shake her body.

"Do you understand me?" he asks coldly.

"Yes," she answers shakily.

"That's my girl," he says patting her on the head like nothing had just transpired between them. "Remember, he'll be here tomorrow night. Have fun."

With that he turns and walks out of the room leaving a sobbing Cordelia on the floor.

"I'm sorry Xander. I'm so sorry," she cries out.

**Sunday, May 31****st**** 1998: Cordelia Chase's Suite Las Palmas Resort, Mexico**

It was then that she decided that she was done with her parents. She would still live with them and use their money, but from now on she would no longer talk to them. They would be like neighbors at an apartment complex, just nod when you pass each other in the hall and pray you don't end up in the same elevator together forced to interact.

To force your daughter into something so degrading out of family obligation and black mail was despicable. She was sure even demons who would say, "That's messed up."

As much as it hurt her though, it would hurt her more to live a life without Xander. She couldn't subject him to a life of pain and torture because he mistakenly fell for the girl with the devil for a father. She loved him too much, so she would go through with it for him. She would take this sleaze ball out for a couple of hours throw some charm his way, maybe kiss him on the cheek and then call it a night. He wasn't going to be allowed to touch any part of her body. No, that trip was saved for one man and when she got home he was going to get the full African Safari version.

Sighing sadly she stood and grabbed the gorgeous outfit that she would normally drool over and made her way to the bathroom. "You owe me daddy," she says aloud to the room.

**Sunday, May 31****st****: Harbor Avenue, Sunnydale, California**

In Sunnydale, if you were looking for shady characters, cheap merchandise, or just general trouble; usually you would take a trip down to the docks via Harbor Avenue. On this route you'll see nothing but rundown business's, strip clubs, and bars. During the day you could find anything from pirated video's to backroom drug deals. Harbor Avenue was that one section of every town in America a parent had to tell their child not to venture to. Even the police didn't patrol this area.

However, Xander's parent's never told him any of this growing up. He figured they wanted him to stumble onto this avenue by accident and be sold into slavery or something. Sometimes as a kid he would think about going to Harbor Avenue to be kidnapped. He figured it had to be a better life then he was living, well before Buffy anyways. Now as an almost adult he found himself on the very avenue he knew better than to be on looking for a cheap haircut at a business called Mr. Lee's Cuts N' Shave.

When he had awoken that morning he had a problem on his hands and that problem was his recently unemployed father, Anthony Harris. Being tired from late nights of patrolling had left his mind in a state of the stupid causing him to stumble into the living room instead of sneaking out of the basement. This foggy choice then caused him to run into the already intoxicated Anthony, which caused Anthony to throw an unseen left hook into Xanders face then slam him against the wall and demand that he get a job to pay his keep. In other words, "Help carry his father's inebriated dead weight."

So out he went with a new shiner on his face in search of a cheap barber and a job. Which of course everyone knew that if you wanted a cheap hair cut, then you went to Mr. Lee's on the corner entrance to Harbor Avenue. Mr. Lee's wasn't hard to find, it was the nicest looking building on all of Harbor Avenue. So after a long walk, Xander found himself standing on the sidewalk looking at his reflection in the window.

It had been a only been couple hours since his encounter with the girls and the vampires at the school gym. His body was still hurting from the beatings he had taken and the lack of sleep he was enduring. His already broken arm was throbbing with intense waves of pain; which offset the pain in his ribs, ankle, and head. "Who knew that slaying was so demanding?" he thinks to himself as he stands by the exit to Mr. Lee's Cut N' Shave.

"Note to self, steal pads from football team for patrols," Xander says aloud as he looks at himself in the window of Mr. Lee's.

The sight that greeted him made his stomach turn. His left cheek was an angry shade of purple from his run in with the dark figure at the school gym. "More like his faces' run in with the persons steel toed boot," he thinks to himself.

"Sunnydale, always full of the fun and mystery," he whispers to himself. "Well it's always full of something at least."

As he continues to take in his reflection and realizes how much he resembles the phrase "You look like death". His lower lip was still swollen from a newbie vamps lucky upper-cut from last night. His skin was a pale white and his eyes were sunken in from lack of sleep. His right eye was already starting to turn a nice shade of purple from Anthony. Then of course there was his ratty looking cast on his arm throbbing with pain.

"Yeah that can't be a good thing. Casted arms aren't supposed to hurt weeks after they've been set," he mumbles as he pushes a lock of scraggily hair out of his face. He straightens his collar and extends his casted arm out in mock meeting fashion. "Xander Harris, I'm here to apply for the job opening. Ignore the cuts, bruises, black eye and the broken arm. Oh and can I get nights off so I can go out and hunt vampires and other evily goodness that lurks in the dark? Yeah, this is going to go good," he says out loud to his reflection.

Sighing he pushes open the front door to the shop. As he enters the modest Barbershop he is surprised at the normalcy of it all. Wood like paneling lined the walls and posters of World War Two and Vietnam era fighter planes plastered the rest. Three barbers' chairs are lined up in front of three mirrors and a small counter to meet the customers sat up front. What wasn't normal were the four demons sitting in the waiting area. All the demons looked up from their reading materials at the sound of his entrance.

"Oh shit," was his immediate thought when he locked eyes with the four demons. Demons were nothing new to a fighter of the night creepies, but the idea that demons needed haircuts? That was something entirely new to the boy, which was why he was currently starring slack jawed.

Eventually the demons lost interest in his presence and went back to their newspapers and magazines. However, Xander had yet to move from his spot. Sure, these creatures hadn't attacked him, but that still didn't help the fact that he was out numbered. Swallowing loudly, Xander tried to keep his body's shaking to a minimum as he slowly unfolds a piece of paper he had been clutching in his non-casted hand. He reads the paper again, "Well the address is right, I just figured there would have been a 666 or something in it to warn about walking into the lion's den."

Out of the corner of his eye, he catches sight of one of the scariest things he'd ever seen. Across the room was an open doorway, its door long since removed. Inside the small frame stood a grossly large Samoan man, his own frame twice the size of the smaller doorway. His eyes said "You're going to be wearing your ass for a hat in a few seconds."

"Uh oh," Xander mutters to himself as the man barrels through the doorway, a feat that was mind boggling to begin with, and charged toward Xander like the boulder from Indiana Jones.

"Oh crap!" Xander shrieks as he backs up only to bump into the wall behind him. His eyes widen in fear as he raises his arms up in the air signaling the man to stop. "Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Big fella, I'm just here for a hair. . ."

The man cuts off Xander's plead by grabbing the boy's collar with his large sausage link like fingers. Then with no effort the man lifts the scrawny Scooby into the air, bringing their faces to the same height. Using his only good hand to grasp onto to the man's goliath forearm to keep himself from being strangled by his only dress shirt, Xander could only struggle to get his words out, "I. . .have. . .," he coughs once trying to regain some air, "a. . .12:30. . . . appointment. . ."

The man sniffs Xander's scent and slowly pulls the boys face closer to his own, their noses touching. He then growls loudly causing Xander to swallow and squirm. "Can you kill me after my appointment? I would like to have my hair look nice for my funeral."

The man growls again and tightens his grasp pulling Xander's collar even tighter around his throat.

"Jamaica J! That's enough! Put the boy down!" comes a thick Chinese accented voice from behind the large beast of a man.

Jamaica J's nostrils flair out as he releases a puff of angry air and growls one last time before dropping Xander unceremoniously onto his feet. Xander immediately places his hands on his own throat and gasps for air. Jamaica J smirks at Xander quickly before turning and lumbering to back room. On his way he passes by a very small and very old Chinese man. The man was wearing a white apron over red and white striped shirt and black pants. He also had on one of the friendliest smiles Xander had ever seen.

"Your forgiveness please, but Jamaica J is very protective of his Mr. Lee. Any newcomer comes across as a threat to him," Mr Lee says as Jamaica J sits in a small folding chair which whines under his weight.

Xander looks at Jamaica J and then to Mr. Lee as he gasps for air, "No problem, wouldn't be a day if someone didn't grab me by the old shirt wings and threaten my life."

Mr. Lee looks Xander up and down, taking in his appearance, "So it would seem."

"He reminds me of some road kill I had last night," a scaly and horned green demon says out sarcastically.

Mr. Lee scowls at the demon, "Leave the boy alone Lur. We've all met with hard times before. Go back to your paper you crazy old kook." He then turns his attention back to Xander, "Ignore my regulars, they mean no harm Mr. . .?"

Xander stands up right for the first time since his rendition of the flying nun and walks to Mr. Lee. He shakes his hand, "Call me Xander."

Mr Lee smiles and then nods, "Yes. Well my apologies again Mr. Xander. Mr. Lee's is supposed to be an Oasis of neutrality. It's a sanctuary from the stress of the day to day, a place to talk about the goings on in this town. You will find no more harm will come to you here. So I take it you are my 12:30."

Xander fidgeted with is collar once more, "Yeah. I tried telling that to Mama Jam over there before he tried hanging me up on the hat rack."

Mr. Lee places his hand on Xanders back and begins to usher him to the open barbers chairs, "Yes, he means well. We all need protection in these parts of town. Please sit."

Xander looks back at the group once more and then sits down. Suddenly a red skinned and horned demon stands up in anger, "I was next Charlie!"

Mr. Lee gently fans open a white barber sheet in one motion causing it to flutter like a flag in the breeze, then ever so softly covers the boy's body and buttoning it around the back of his neck. "Kriek, new customers come first. Besides, you have three hairs at most. You'll just have to wait your turn or you can have Jamaica J cut your hair," Mr. Lee says without looking up.

A loud throaty growl roars out from Jamaica J as his overbearing frame encompasses the doorway. Kriek swallows loudly and sits down. Mr. Lee chuckles softly as he turns towards the mirrored counter behind Xander, "So Mr. Xander, what brings you our way?" He asks as he removes a sharpened and polished set of scissors and trimmers. He unrolls a black cloth on the counter and lines them up like surgical equipment.

Xander was finding this whole situation very unsettling, almost to a freak out level. Perspiration was starting to form on his brow and slowly make its way down his nose. He awkwardly wipes away the offending beads of sweat and adjusts himself in the chair.

Mr. Lee continues to organize his equipment, "You have nothing to fear here Mr. Xander."

Xander's eyes widen in shock and confusion, "How did you. . .?"

The room burst in laughter as Mr. Lee turns with a friendly smile, "Oh my dear boy, you have much to learn. I am an empath demon. Well half actually. I can sense emotions in people."

Xander looks around confused, "Wait. . .people can. . .you know. . .with demons? They can make. . .kids?"

Sensing the boys mind was struggling to wrap itself around this new knowledge, Mr. Lee places a hand on his shoulder and turns the chair so they are both facing the mirror. He looks the boy in the eyes through his reflection, "Demons and human are not that different. We may look different on the outside, but on the inside things are very compatible."

It shouldn't have been a shock to the boy after all the times demon females had come after him. It actually made sense. "It makes sense now," Xander says a loud to himself.

Mr. Lee picks up a spray bottle, "What makes sense?"

Realizing he said that a loud he tries to explain, "Sorry, it's just demons and vampires aren't that new to me. I'd tried to explain. . ."

Mr. Lee chuckles, "I know who you are Mr. Xander."

Xanders eyes widen in shock, "You do?"

Mr. Lee smiles and nods, "Everyone around these parts knows you're a friend of the slayer. I must admit, I was shocked you came around these parts. You and your wolf friend are playing quite the high risk game of Russian roulette."

"How did you know?" Xander asks as his discomfort grows at the sight of Mr. Lee picking up a very sharp hand razor.

"Do you even know where you are?" Mr. Lee asks as he run's the blade along a piece of leather strap, the blade on the rough animal hide causing a soft scratching sound to fill Xander's ears.

Xander smirks, "I'm going to take a wild guess and say. . .Sunnydale."

Mr. Lee laughs as he sets the blade down and grabs a spray bottle from his tray, "Well at least you haven't lost that wit of yours." He sprays Xanders hair with bluish hued water that smelt slightly of ocean mist. As the scent makes its way through Xander's nostrils and through his body, a sense of calm envelopes him like a Cordy hug on a humid day. Slowly Mr. Lee sets the bottle on the tray and grips a large pair of electric clippers. He raises the clippers up to his eye's and inspects the blades. He looks back at Xander and smiles, "My boy, you're in the Demon District."


End file.
